A trailblazing Scarbough company is creating jobs and protecting the environment using an innovative approach to growing seaweed and shellfish in the North Sea
With funding from York and North Yorkshire Mayor’s Carbon Negative Challenge Fund, SeaGrown has launched project SeaSwell to process Yorkshire seaweed into biostimulants for crop growth and food ingredients. This opens the potential for supporting food and agricultural industries across North Yorkshire whilst reducing carbon, cleaning the ocean and supporting biodiversity.
David Skaith, York and North Yorkshire Mayor, recently headed out with the SeaGrown team on their workboat, Bright Blue, to see how their innovative Kelpedo™ units are sustainably growing kelp, four miles off the Scarborough coast.
The project, backed by the funding, has enabled SeaGrown to take on new staff including trainee marine crew and scientists, to join their team.
The Mayor said: “We’ve got the landscape, coastline, expertise and the ambition to go further than any other region in England and become the first carbon negative region by 2040.
“With my Carbon Negative Challenge Fund, we’re taking big steps towards our goal by backing the people behind our most pioneering projects.
“Just like our partners at SeaGrown who are using our support to not only create jobs and growth in the county but also protect the rich biodiversity of our coast.”
Wave Crookes, SeaGrown founder and Director, welcomed the Mayor on board and explained what the funding had enabled.
He said: "Joining forces with York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority on Project SeaSwell lets us take what we do every day in the North Sea and put it to good use on land.
“We’ve been growing seaweed on our Kelpedo™ units for years. Now we’re working with local partners to see what that seaweed can do for the region, with trials on biostimulants and food products aimed at cutting carbon emissions.
“The Combined Authority set out to make York and North Yorkshire, England’s first carbon-negative region by 2040. At SeaGrown, we love a challenge, and we’re pleased to be adding our weight to this vital task.”
The Carbon Negative Challenge Fund is a multi-million pound programme which provides support to projects pioneering ways to decarbonise the region while stimulating growth and supporting businesses and communities.
This includes community energy sources, retrofitting buildings and sustainable agriculture schemes.
The fund supports York and North Yorkshire’s ambition to become England’s first carbon negative region, by 2040. York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority is expected to publish its Strategy for a Sustainable Future this autumn. The document will detail how the county will reach its 2040 goal.
Find out more on SeaGrown’s work in our latest video
How SeaGrown Is Building a Sustainable Future Off the Yorkshire Coast